Another first! Hippiefest at The Farm in Brooksville. What a fun event. Lots of peace, love, and music...and workshops and jams. Pamela Jo performed with Tamera and Jae as the Lilly Jane band (more on that to come). The venue for Hippiefest is The Farm, near Brooksville. The Farm is located in an idyllic, secluded natural forest and is billed as a "beautiful central Florida sanctuary for musicians" that grows music, not crops. There are events at The Farm each week, including an open mic on Thursdays. The Farm is a perfect place to cultivate friendships and music. I look forward to participating in more events at The Farm.

We have enjoyed the Florida Folk Festival for many years. Each year has been wonderful and different. Some are challenging...like the year when local forest fires burned eyes and made it near impossible to breathe at times. But then the wind shifted, the air cleared, and the music and fun continued. Some years there is drought and the Suwannee River is just a trickle of water with high, dry banks. Other years are inundated and the river is full and flowing. This was one of those years. Florida's summer rains came early this year and the Suwannee's banks show it. But that did not bode well for festival-goers. 

We arrived Thursday evening and set up camp while thunder was announcing the impending storms, which lasted through the evening. We were high and dry in our tent, but the lightning was so bright at times we could almost read by it. It was an impressive demonstration of nature. Friday evening brought more storms, but they ended early and yielded to music, festivities, and campground parades that lasted 'till the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, around 2 a.m. we discovered a rock underneath our tent had punctured both the ground tarp and the tent floor...our bags, mattresses, and pillows were soaked. Saturday brought respite from the rain and we took advantage of the solar energy to dry out everything. But Tropical Storm Alberto and a forecast of 100% chance of rain on Sunday convinced us it was time to pack it in and head home. After our 6:00 p.m. performance at the Seminole Stage we ate fine festival food then hit the road back to Tampa.

Even though weather cut the festival short for us this year, we enjoyed some great music while we were there. The Currys are fine musicians and songwriters, and have amazing harmonies. Gailanne Amundsen is a very talented multi-instrumentalist and singer who just released a new project of Carter Family songs on which she collaborated with John Carter Cash. If you didn't pre-order "You've Been a Friend to Me," I recommend you get a copy ASAP. Watching Gailanne live perform the songs on this CD was a treat and I am glad to have a signed CD copy to add to my collection. The Wild Shiners is a FUN Florida band that plays what some have called "face melting Americana." I don't know exactly what that means, but I love the energy of this group (and especially the banjo...). I also must mention the band's guitarist, Michael Lagasse, who has his own solo project, White Sands, with amazing guitar work and vocals. Finally, it was great to see Shana Smith (aka Shanabanana ) who is a wonderfully talented and funny Florida singer and songwriter. 

So regardless of weather, the Florida Folk Festival was fabulous and fun as usual. We enjoyed seeing friends, making new friends, making music, discovering new music, eating festival food, and generally taking in all the Florida scenery, arts, and entertainment that make the Florida Folk Festival one of the BEST festivals ever. No wonder this great event has been going on for 66 years!

Looking forward to the 66th Annual Florida Folk Festival! I think we're gonna have a little rain, but we'll just have to Keep On The Sunny Side of Life anyway...:)

Woohoo! A new experience for me...the Spring Frolic at Barberville Pioneer Settlement. Great weather, great music, more great weather, more great music...a little rain but hardly anyone noticed...and more great music. Friends have been telling me for years that I must go to this festival. Why did I wait so long?! Tamera Beisler and I performed as the Homesteaders, and also lead a circle jam of "heartbreak" songs. A lot of good fun and song sharing was had by all. I recommend this festival and plan to be back next spring. Word is there is also a fall festival at this venue...(smiles).

The ukulele jam at New Tampa Regional Library today was a blast! Player skills ranged from beginner to intermediate. The instructor guided the class through half a dozen or so chords and several strumming patterns. After going through a few ditties together we set out on exploring a collection of songs, singing and strumming to our hearts content. Harmonies and strings blended in the library community room for two solid hours. A good time was had by all, and new friendships were made through sharing music. Many thanks to Kent, our instructor, and all students who participated and shared. Also many thanks to the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society and New Tampa Regional Library for this fun event.